Cabled Earflap Hats

I’ve knit this from the pattern several times with no issues, and I haven’t heard back from anyone that the pattern is wonky, so I’ll go ahead and post the first version, the six-cable hat. When the eleven-cable (all-over) variation is complete I’ll post it at the end. (The earflaps are the same for both patterns.) The pattern assumes a general knowledge of knitting and cabling abbreviations…if you’d like a full PDF that contains explanations of the increases, decreases, and cabling instructions, click here.

Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail, and leave the flap on its DPN. Repeat for 2nd flap.

VARIATION ONE: SIX-CABLE HAT

Using a cable cast on, CO 12 stitches on the circular needle. Knit the 16 stitches from first ear flap in pattern (knit the knits, purl the purls), then CO 34 stitches. K16 from second ear flap, then CO 14. (Confused? Here is a video that shows what I’m talking about!)

Place marker and join, being careful not to twist stitches, and begin knitting in the round. As you knit around this first row, you’ll notice four gaps, on either side of each ear flap. When you get to those, you will K2tog to close them up. Knit Round 1 as follows:

Weave in all ends. (I like to leave the tails where I ended the earflaps long so that I can use them to tighten up of otherwise correct anything that looks wonky around the earflap join area.)

There are a few ways you can add straps — pick up 3-4 sts and knit in garter stitch or seed stitch until desired length. OR pick up 3-4 stitches and knit i-cord until desired length. OR, thread through three long pieces of yarn and braid the double-strands until desired length, then tie off and trim.

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77 comments

Why’d you have to go and post this now? My to-do list is way longer than I could possibly hope to do in this lifetime, let alone before Christmas Break! The hats look awesome and if I manage to knit one, I’ll send pics. Thanks for the pattern!

I love your baby cable hats!! This is my new baby shower gift!! I made the 11 cable hat out of Karabella’s Aurora yarn in ivory (100% fine merino wool) and oh my gosh – I want an adult version for me!!!!! Thanks for the pattern- I love your blog and am glad you wrote again!!!! 😉

Hi Julie..just wanted to say “Thank You” for sharing this pattern..I actually became a Grandma to two beautiful baby boys & made each of them the hat in the same color yarn I used for adorable baby buntings I made them. I just love how the cable extends from the bottom of the earflap to the top of the hat. I like knitting with Plymouth brand Encore worsted for children..I consider the fact the garment will be washed often & the percentage of wool in this yarn is low, which as you know is a good thing.
I look forward to knitting some of your other cable hats for babies.
Have a happy knitting day!
Veronica

Julie,
I have been searching the internet over for a pattern exactly like yours. It is exactly what I have been looking for. Do you have an adult version that I could try knitting for my teenage daughters? Many thanks.

Hi Julie, I have been on the web for over an hour trying to find a 10-11 cable earflap hat, I stopped when I saw your eleven cable hat, tan only to read that you will be posting it later…have you done that yet??? If so please may I have it??? I’m going skiing in two and a half weeks and I told my sister I would knit her one.

I have made two of the cabled baby hats and two of the baby ear flap hats. Nothing wonky about these patterns at all!!! Easily followed your directions.
I am eagerly awaiting the 11 cable ear flap and the worsted weight cable hat patterns.

It is so great that you share your patterns with all of us on the internet.
I am retired and money is scarce, so finding wonderful patterns such as yours for FREE really makes my day.
chloe

Okay, I loved this pattern so much! I just transferred it, somewhat successfully, to to adult:
I used a nice acrylic super bulky Thick N Quick Lion Brand yarn, and threw it on size 10s.
CO 12, knit the original 16 earflaps, CO 32, knit the original other 16 earflaps, CO 12. I followed the pattern for the most part, and i think it turned out ok!

Photo to follow. Julie, this pattern is fantastic, can’t wait for the 11 cable!

[…] baby pattern I modified for my own big adult alient head, and it totally worked out. Huge props to Hey Julie, where I found the original bestest earflap hat pattern (I made literally everyone one for the […]

Julie, What a godsend!!! I have been looking for an earflap hat for my great grandson, and this just fits the bill. Can’t wait to try it. This will be sure to keep his little ears warm here in the “Frozen Tundra” of Wisconsin. Thanks so much.

Hi Julie,
I saw this pattern on Ravelry, and am going to have a go at it, but I was just wondering at what point you move onto DPNs? I haven’t knit in the round before, and am feeling cautious…
I love this pattern; it looks great. Thanks for putting it out there.

I have made the cabled baby hat several times and am working on this earflap version — Thank you so much for your elegant, adorable and really super easy to understand patterns. You make knitting make sense. Plus, that video really helps.

Question — if I just go ahead and cable all the uncabled columns on this hat, would that in essence be the 11 cable version? Does cabling noticeably reduce the total girth (ie, if doing all cables, we need to cast on more stitches to allow for give?)

Thanks for your kind words! You are correct — in the 11 cable version you do cable the plain rows, but you are cabling them on rows 6, 12, 18, etc…3 rows off from the others, so they are pleasingly staggered. Cables do pull in so the finished size will be a tad smaller…but they also stretch, so the girth is no reduced significantly. You can always add a purl stitch in between each cable if you want to add to the girth…adding cables gets tricky on this one because of the ratios of stitches in between the flaps in the fornt/back, if that makes any sense.

I will try to get the 11-cable pattern up this weekend! At last! I will test-knit it this afternoon (while my kids have a marathon pre-Christmas-eve-Mass choir practice) to make sure it’s good to go. 😉

I just finished the six-cable version and it turned out absolutely lovely! It’s for a 22-year old guy, so I used Wool-ease chunky yarn in an olive green and size 10 needles. I added an extra cable twist (repeat of rows 15-20) to give the hat a little more height and it fits an adult head perfectly.

Not bad for my first time knitting in the round and first time doing cables!

I did struggle to block the hat because its kind of oddly shaped. Any advice?

Thanks! I noticed that the PDF version is written just a little differently than the blog post. In the PDF you have a section called “Hat Body” which gives you the start for both variations, but in the blog post the start of the hat body is written under variation 1. That is where I got confused…I didn’t see how to go from having the earflaps to R2 without doing what was indicated at the start of Variation 1

FWIW, the PDF makes is just that much more clear, at least for someone who might not read variation 1.

Wow, and wow. I have never worked a hat before in my life, and I whipped this up in no time. Not only are your instructions FLAWLESS and EXTREMELY easy to follow…the pattern is precious! I made the 6 cable for my baby on the way. I’m very pleased with the results and can’t wait to make this again. It came together very quickly. Thanks for sharing this great pattern!

If you just want a regular one, without cables, click on “basic earflap hat” in the left sidebar. That’s an adult-sized pattern. I have knit this one in an adult size before by using bigger yarn and needles, and adding a little length before the decreases. I believe it was bulky yarn on US9 needles…I would say, knit a swatch in bulky yarn to check the gauge. Good luck!

[…] to enjoy wearing it! I’m going to knit up a pair of mittens out of the same yarn soon. The hat pattern is here though I did have to add two more sets of cables to make the hat big enough to fit her sweet […]

¡Muchísimas gracias, Julie! This is exactly the hat I wanted to knit for my little one. I do not have the right length circular needles, nor DPNs, so I made it with regular needles and sowed it afterwards. It looks really neat and wonderful nevertheless 🙂
My big question is: which method did you use for the straps shown on the PDF pics? They really look lovely, and I’d love to make them exactly like that…
Thanks again for sharing!

I thread the doubled length of yarn through the end of the earflap before twisting….it’s a bit awkward, but then all you have to do is twist and let it twist back on itself, then tie the knot and you’re done. 🙂

Hi, I just finished your six-cable version and I love it! One thing though, and I don’t know if it was on purpose, but on row 27, you finish the row with a K6 P2tog, and I finished it with a C6F P2tog, to keep with the pattern. Is it a mistake?

Ok maybe it’s my mommy brain…but I’m trying to do the earflaps and can’t get pass row 2. The stitches on row 2 add up to 8 stitches but you only have 6 stitches?? and row 2 is the first row you make increases. It happens again on the next increase row…
am I missing something? do I need more coffee???
thanks! trying to finish this one before christmas! 🙂

You start with 6 stitches, but each “M1” increases you by one, so by the end of row 2 you have 8 stitches. When you “make one” you are creating a stitch where there wasn’t one before, not working a stitch that is on the needle.

Yes I know that you are making one..but on row 1 you knit the 6 stitches you cast on…
but if you count the stitches on row 2- k1 m1 k4 m1 k1 there are eight before you make the 8 stitches. am I making sense?

Hi Julie,
I am excited to knit this hat for a friend! One question is how much yarn does this hat take? is one small skien enough (98yds) or will I need two? I have a few left over but do not want to start only to find that I do not have enough.
thanks!

Thank you so much, I just did the 11 cable hat for my 7 monther. It was too small for her gigantic melon, but I should have seen that coming from a mile away as she takes after me in that regard! I had to do another one and simply added 12 additional rows before decreasing. The hats look amazing, this was my first attempt at a cable and you made it seem incredibly easy. Thanks again.

Thanks so much for the patterns! I just finished the 11-cable hat. I’m a beginning knitter and I had no problems with the pattern. The hat is gorgeous! Unfortunately, I took my time about it and my large-headed baby is now eight months old and way to big for the hat. I’m giving this one to a friend’s baby. Just started the basic earflap hat last night, for my little one…

hi Julie- Love the pattern but I’m a little confused. I have 88 stitches and I’m on row 14 but two of my cables are right next to each other. Where as all the other ones are evenly spaced out. Am I doing it wrong or is that the way the hat is supposed to look? Thanks for any help.

thanks for posting your patterns to share. I have been dilligently searching the internet for a worthy present for my little nephews and I have my cashmerino wool ready to go. I was looking (initally) for a hat scarf combo hat.. my daughter has one and they are soo cute and practical. but i have to knit this for them!!! I think i’m going to start with the six cable one. great pattern, much kudos and thanks.

Help, I’m working on this hat when making the first row while attaching the earflaps, why do you co 12 stitches on one side, then co 14 on the other side? Then, you do 11 stitches and k2tog, but when I am doing it, I am on the co 14 side???

My cousin requested I knit up this hat for her baby who is about 6 months old. I just finished up and realized that it seems very short. Most hat patterns I have worked are usually this deep BEFORE doing the decreases. Are you sure this will fit a normal 6 month old baby? I live in a different state from my cousin and don’t want to send it to her only to have her tell me it’s way too small. it’s smaller than a newborn sized hat I just finished knitting. Any insight would be helpful. I really don’t want to frog it all, just wondering if anyone has actually made this hat as is and put it on a 6 month old baby successfully.

Love all of your hats but I just can’t get the hang of knitting in the round.. It’s the way I hold my needles.. Is there an easyish way to convert a pattern like this to knitting flat? Would love to try the cable flap hat for my Grandbabies

I am planning to knit the 11 cable version for my 16 month old daughter. I have yarn that requires size 8 needles. Do you have any suggestions for how to make this the right size for her head? Her head is about 18.5 inches in circumference. Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

I have re-done the hat using size 8 needles as recommended above but not in the pdf version. Hat was fine in width (diameter) but too short, so I frogged and added one more pattern repeat (rows 15-20) before starting the decreases. Perfection, small enough for a 6 month old but big enough to be used for two winters.

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